The condition of rotating machinery, such as pump, is often determined using visual inspection techniques that are performed by experienced operators. Failure modes such as cracking, leaking, corrosion, etc. can often be detected by visual inspection before failure is likely. Temperature and vibration are key indicators of a pump's operating performance. Excessive levels of either one may indicate a need for adjustment and/or repair.
Temperature variations across a surface can be manually measured using, for example, thermographic techniques. In addition, headphones can be used to listen to for undesirable wear conditions. For example, a high pitched buzzing sound in bearings may indicate flaws in contact surfaces.
The use of such manual condition monitoring allows adjustments to be made to pump operation, pump maintenance to be scheduled, or other actions to be taken, to avoid damage or pump failure that may otherwise occur if undesirable operating conditions are allowed to persist. Intervention in the early stages of deterioration is usually much more cost effective than undertaking repairs subsequent to failure.
One downside to manual monitoring is that such monitoring is typically only performed periodically. Thus, if an adverse condition arises between inspections, machinery failure can occur. Moreover, even with a properly trained workforce, manual monitoring is associated with errors, misjudgment, oversight, and a certain level of inconsistency of performance naturally attendant with any manual supervision of this type.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a system and method for constant and consistent monitoring of pump operating conditions. It would further be desirable to provide such a system and method that automatically adjust the manner in which a pump is operated to avoid damage and pump failure and improve pump efficiency. Such a system and method have the potential to enhance pump operation, reduce downtime, and increase energy efficiency. Such a system and method should be adapted for application to new machinery during manufacture or to be added as a retrofit to existing equipment.